-
Hey Guest!
British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!**Upgrade Now**
(PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Hey - did you know if you click on the title of a thread it will take you to the first unread post since you last visited that thread?
but were afraid to ask: 
STOP!! Never post your email address in open forums. Bots can "harvest" your email! If you must share your email use a Private Message or use the 
smilie in place of the real @
Pretty Please - add it to our Events forum(s) and add to the calendar! >> 
TR4/4A TR4 Starter
- Thread starter KVH
- Start date
Share this page
Kleykamp
Jedi Trainee
Offline
Depends on how concerned you are with staying original, but I have used the high torque starter on each TR3 I've had and believe it is much better for a driver car and is something that can be reversed if someone really wants to go to "original". Shop around for best price. What I have seen, is most are remanufactured units that are just modified to fit and not much difference in the service you get. They are definitely easier to install.
Geo Hahn
Yoda
Offline
What was wrong with your starter? Over the years I have reworked mine a few times -- brushes, pinion rubber (TR3A only), clean-up and re-wrapping the field windings (they can short out after many years of rubbing against the housing.
The original units are pretty easy to service and when in good nick start the engine just fine.
I'm guessing you're having Luna take a look at it.
The original units are pretty easy to service and when in good nick start the engine just fine.
I'm guessing you're having Luna take a look at it.
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
I agree with all of the above. When I found that I was having to work on the original starter (on my TR3A) almost every year and it twice quit during long drives (each 2000+ miles round trip); I bought a gear-drive from TRF. Their ad said it was new, but what I got had a "rebuilt" sticker on it. Works great, although after nearly 10 years of daily driving (not counting the few years it was idle after the wreck), I think it may be ready for "freshening" again.
As a side comment, I changed the wiring a bit from the usual recommendation, so that the original solenoid only switches power to the new solenoid on the starter. That way the motor current doesn't have to pass through the original solenoid (which had previously lost some of its smoke), but the starter pushbutton (on a TR3) doesn't have to handle the increased current (and kickback) of the new solenoid, and I got to keep the function of the starter button under the hood.
The change was easy, I just moved the battery cable to the bottom original solenoid terminal (where the heavy wire to the starter motor goes) and ran a new wire from the top terminal to the solenoid on the starter.
As a side comment, I changed the wiring a bit from the usual recommendation, so that the original solenoid only switches power to the new solenoid on the starter. That way the motor current doesn't have to pass through the original solenoid (which had previously lost some of its smoke), but the starter pushbutton (on a TR3) doesn't have to handle the increased current (and kickback) of the new solenoid, and I got to keep the function of the starter button under the hood.
The change was easy, I just moved the battery cable to the bottom original solenoid terminal (where the heavy wire to the starter motor goes) and ran a new wire from the top terminal to the solenoid on the starter.
Last edited:
Just FYI, I just had one rebuilt and it cost $45. Looks like new again. I have not installed it but I am sure it works. I have taken a dozen starters, generators and alternators to this place and they are good with their work. My friends MGB starter cost more than that because it has a solenoid that needed to be replaced.
Jerry
Jerry
Rrbbeerrttoo
Banned
Offline
Never had a starter problem with my '66 TR4a, it is the original.
Rrbbeerrttoo
Banned
Offline
Jerry,
Only $45 for reworking a auto starter equipment is cheap. Perhaps it was a friend who only replaced worn brushes , and sprayed paint! Even then!!
Only $45 for reworking a auto starter equipment is cheap. Perhaps it was a friend who only replaced worn brushes , and sprayed paint! Even then!!
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Connect a voltmeter (or DMM set to volts) across the big terminals of the solenoid. Should read battery voltage, about 12.6 volts. Then use a temporary jumper between the battery terminal and the small side terminal on the solenoid, to simulate turning the key. Watch what the voltmeter does. It should drop to under 1 volt.
I didn't see a description of symptoms, but I would probably repeat the test with the voltmeter probes held directly on top of the battery posts. If it doesn't hold at least 9-10 volts while cranking (in warm weather), the battery is bad (or run down) no matter what the shop told you.
I didn't see a description of symptoms, but I would probably repeat the test with the voltmeter probes held directly on top of the battery posts. If it doesn't hold at least 9-10 volts while cranking (in warm weather), the battery is bad (or run down) no matter what the shop told you.
Last edited: